ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. staff — employees
  3. wound — an injury
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. dip — to sink
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rock — a stone
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bank — for money
  10. cell — in biology
  11. current — electric
  12. staff — employees
  13. current — of water
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wound — an injury
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rock — music
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bank — for money
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. dip — to dunk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com